Ty Lum of the Fire Nation
by Xiola Muray Johnson
Summary: The eldest sister of the sextuplets goes through a series of adventures that puts a strain on her loyalty and patriotism for the Fire Nation. The "non-bending" scholar travels alongside Zuko in his attempt to capture the Avatar. How will things end up? Find out. *This is an actual character in the series. I just made her the MC so technically not an OC but.
1. Chapter 1: The Critical Scholar

Ty Lum sat by the table with her book in hand alongside with notepad. Her Earth Kingdom attire made her blend in well nicely to avoid conflict. She diligently wrote various notes on the pad from the political book.

She had been at this for two years now. Traveling around the Four Nations in disguise to report on various things to the Lord himself. From war tactics, diplomacy, and even cultural knowledge for some particular reason. Though she had no choice in the matter, she did not mind at all.

Even though Ty Lum was a loyal citizen of the Fire Nation, she herself was in a tough sitch. She figured as payment of being a Fire Nation citizen, she had to sacrifice her childhood and experience the world through any means necessary. From theivery to fraud, she did it all for the sake of her country.

Her hand kept writing various things from the book she found and decided to add her own knowledge.

 _The Earth Benders are very head-strong people. Their tactics will mostly deal with brute force within itself. There is no tolerance for cowardice and underhanded methods what so ever. They lack in strategy and will be easy to penetrate, and defeat if the first front is broken. One advantage they have is the environment. They would be able to hide and become one with the Earth. No further reports._

 _If I may be frank, Lord, I wanted to know if I can visit my family. It's been a while since I've seen them. Forgive me if I have offended you._

 _From,_

 _Ty Lum_

She walked out of the small library she was sitting in. Ty Lum took in her surroundings and observed the conditions of the refugees in the lower circle. It was as she expected, the conditions were horrible and the people were treated unfairly. The road was riddled with litter, the walls were covered in thick grime, and sickly homeless people sat outside. It disgusted her but her nation is to blame for such things happening which caused an unwanted conflict on her conscious. She decided not to dawn on such things as it was not her place to hold political opinion due to her specific circumstance.

She walked in silence, not saying anything or waving at anyone else. There was no reason to smile to and talk to the people whom very lives were destroyed by her people. She came to understand why General Iroh surrendered after his son died.

 _He experienced the same thing the enemy experienced. The pain was reciprocated and understood which is the very thing that brought him to surrender. We take it all for granted until it is gone._

She kept walking, blocking out all of the white noise. The densely packed crowd didn't get to her, as it should not. Ty Lum bumped into several different people but just kept walking until she reached her rendezvous point. It was in the middle of the forest. She whistled and the raven eagle swopped down, and dropped a satchel.

She took a paper and a map out and placed her letter in. The animal flew away leaving Ty Lum in her thoughts. She read over the letter multiple times. Ty Lum didn't know how to feel about the letter due to it's confusing and vague orders.

 _My son, Zuko is currently on a venture around the Nations. I would like for you to accompany him and report his behavior as assurance of accurate reports. I believe your first task will become easier if you accompany him, yes? I entrust this to you. Do not fail me._

 _Fire Lord Ozai_

She looked at the map and saw the "X" which was close to the South Air Temple. The location wasn't accurate enough for her to pinpoint the exact location to where she had to travel. In the end, she decided to use the process of elimination of which port was of Fire Nation property. She would leave Ba Sing Se in a few hours. She figured about time she gets there, Zuko would be long gone.

Ty Lum returned to her apartment and packed her things. She predicted about time she reached the edge of the Earth Kingdom, Zuko would be near Kyoshi Island or maybe at the dock she was heading to. Ty Lum stretched and cracked her bones before she fell asleep for a while.

Time flew by further than she realized. She snapped awake and looked around in a daze. She cursed under her breath and grabbed her stuff. She didn't bother looking around the apartment one more time and bolted out the room.

Ty Lum ignored the pedestrians and kept running. She needed to be out of Ba Sing Se tonight to be able to stay on schedule. Ty Lum sprinted through the crowd with a resolve of a bull. As a result, a cabbage cart had to suffer as she broke the cart.

"My cabbages!" a man yelled.

Ty Lum didn't have time to offer any condolences for the man's damaged veggies. Also, she didn't even care that much either. She needed to hurry to the station as the last ferry was about to depart. She ran up a ramp and flipped over several onlookers. She stuck the landing, as she should.

She shoved more people out of the way and one hand gripped her shoulder. She looked back and saw a gigantic, muscular man.

"You bumped into me, you punk," the man said with a small hint of malice.

"Too busy and don't care. Bye!" she yelled and stomped on his toe and ran.

The station was within her sights and she leaped for the door. She made it and tucked and rolled into the station. She ran to the ticket booth and slammed down her fake passport.

"Ticket for Omashu, please!" she said in a loud, booming voice. The receptor gave her a skeptical look and slowly stamped her passport. She gave Ty Lum the ticket and told her to scram. She happily obliged and got onto the ferry. There weren't a lot of people on the ferry due to it being late.

 _I'm finally going to Omashu._

The trip would take several days, she knew that much, and she packed specifically for that matter. She took out a book on the History of Omashu and began taking notes on it.

 **Summary***

 _ **Omashu**_ _is the second largest city in the and the capital of one of its states. Only outdone in size and importance by, Omashu was one of the last great strongholds of the Earth Kingdom during the war and continued to supply them with troops and supplies. The gates of this bustling metropolis are guarded by an army of elite soldiers. This city is also well known for its famous architecture which was created by and relies on a combination of both earthbending and gravity._

 _The tall mountain peak on which Omashu was founded is in the in the southwestern Earth Kingdom. It rises high out of a deep chasm and was created by earthbenders several centuries. Being built on this mountain provides the city with one of its best defenses; the only way to reach the gates of Omashu is across a long narrow bridge of stone that spans the sheer gorge._

 **History**

 _An ancient legend states that a man named and a woman named, each from one of two warring towns, met atop a mountain that divided their peoples and fell deeply in love. Although their relationship was forbidden and it was dangerous for them to continue meeting, the couple found a way to continue seeing each other in secrecy. By observing the badgermoles, the couple became the first earthbenders. Using their new powers, they created a which only they could navigate. This allowed them to meet secretly, while anyone else who tried to follow them would become lost forever in the ever-shifting tunnels._

 _One day Shu did not come to meet Oma, nor would he ever again. Shu had been slain in the war between their two villages. Oma, stricken with grief and sorrow, performed a terrifying display of earthbending power that could have easily destroyed both villages. Instead, she declared the conflict over and demanded that the two villages live in peace. The warring villages joined together and built a new city to honor the couple's love. This city eventually grew into Omashu, the name being derived from the combination of their two names. The short epitaph found on the lovers' tombs deep within the cave reads only "Love is brightest in the dark"._

 _During the of the Conqueror, almost the entirety of the Earth Kingdom, Omashu being no exception, fell into the hands of this tyrannical warlord. The city remained under his rule until Kiyoshi refused to allow Chin to conquer what she called home. Chin fell to his demise in the sea below when he stubbornly refused to move as the rocks underneath his feet crumbled into the sea. His death signaled the end of the war._

 _Omashu's main industry was producing weapons and supplies for the war effort; civilians had developed a complex and efficient mailing system used to transport goods throughout the city that employed earthbending and gravity using extensive ramps and chutes._

"How much longer are you gonna write outta the book?" a child-like voice asked her.

"For however long I want," she responded.

"Ohh~ Cool! I'm Shei and I'm here with my mom and dad. Who are you here with?" Shei persistently asked her.

"No one," Ty Lum monotonously answered.

"Then we can be friends so you have someone!" Shei gave her a smile and a thumbs up. Ty Lum looked up briefly and looked back down.

"I decline," Ty Lum kindly told him.

"W-Why not?" Shei asked.

"I won't be in Omashu for long. I have to leave after a few days to get where I need to go. So I'd rather not," Ty Lum explained, hoping the kid would get the hint.

"You travel a lot? That's so cool! Aren't you kinda young though?" Shei ignored her excuse and asked more questions.

"I started early so I can finish while I'm still young yet old enough to have some freedom. I'm thirteen so I'd be done about... three years from now? Yeah, three years," Ty Lum went along again and answered.

She was pretty tired so she couldn't focus on what Shei said and steadily fell asleep.

 **4 days later**

She got off the ferry along with Shei, who was clung to her like a magnet. She tried to get him off of her but to no avail. His parents had to pull him off of her.

"I don't want Ty Limmie to leave," Shei whined. The seven-year-old didn't budge on what he'd been trying to do other the past four days.

"I have to go though, Shei. Now be a big boy. Know what? I'll hang out with you until I leave," Ty Lum offered.

The boy folded his arms and pouted but agreed. Ty Lum thanked the parents and left to rent out a room for a few days. She looked at the city from afar and acknowledged its beauty.

 _To think earthbending created such a beautifully complex building. It's astonishing as it is impressive._

She didn't know what possessed her to walk into a bar. Even worse there was a brawling cage in the center. She didn't pay any mind to the loud screams of spectators watching the two people going at it.

She went to the bartender and sat down at one of the stools.

"Do you know where the cheapest inn is, sir?" Ty Lum, respectively, asked.

The buff bartender looked at her and let out a boisterous laugh. "You there, child. Who let you in here?"

"I walked in."

"Fair enough. Cheapest one is $120 a night. Now leave, kid," the bartender informed.

"$120!? What a preposterous price! Are you sure there is nothing a little bit...you know...less ridiculous?" Ty Lum complained.

The bartender stopped cleaning the glass and looked at the kid. He put the glass down and leaned toward Ty Lum. He pointed to the fighting ring and looked back at her.

"Win a fight, you either get to stay here one night for free or you get prize money. If you choose to go for the money you originally had to make a bet for over $50. Now, what will you-?"

Ty Lum was right by the announcer and asked him about it. He gave her a once over and obliged. Ty Lum looked at the competitors and took them for muscle heads.

"Tooooday we have a challenger! Her name is-"

"I'm Hadoka! I'm thirteen years old and I challenge one of you!" Ty Lum pretended to be an arrogant child. She had to look overconfident to hopefully intimidate one of them.

"Now who would like to compete against our uhh challenger?" the announcer asked. Many hands shot up at the opportunity to put a child in their place.

"You? Okay! Please, you two head to the ring," the announcer told the two.

They entered the cage and stood on opposite sides. They faced each other. Ty Lum looked at her opponent.

Her opponent had brown hair, tan skin with freckles with deep green eyes that matched her own. He looked about sixteen and wore a stoic expression on his face.

"On one corner there is our champion, Liu. On the other corner, there is our challenger, Hadoka! Are you ready to rumble! Okay, remember the rules...No bending and no killing...all weapons are permitted," the announcer announced.

"No bending! What?" Ty Lum complained. She was happy on the inside though. Things would have been even more complicated for her.

"Are you that reliant on bending?" Liu scoffed. Ty Lum put on an angry front and growled. She didn't reply to his insult.

The bell rung and Ty Lum charged but not blindly. She knew exactly what she was doing. Liu sighed and sidestepped her and kicked her temple. His kick didn't connect and he looked down to see what happened...She blocked it.

She swept his feet from under him and backed up. He stood up and nodded.

"Game on."

He came at her and she was ready. He, to her surprise, went airborne and punched her in the face. Her body recoiled and she grabbed her face in pain and bent over. Ty Lum snapped out of it and attacked back.

She grabbed his wrist and pulled, jerking his body forward. She kicked him in the gut and in the face before he grabbed her ankle and tripped her. She fell on the floor, with Liu still holding onto her ankle.

 _I have to get out of this and fast._

She flipped her body to where she was lying on her back. She put her hands flat on the floor and pulled her ankle forward and kicked Liu in the gut.

His grip on her ankle had got even tighter. She grunted in pain and couldn't get out of Liu's death grip. She tried to do the same thing twice but failed.

Lui caught her other foot. He bent back and swung Ty Lum's body to the ground. She caught herself by the hands which caused her palms to start throbbing. She used most of her strength to bring Liu over with her legs and slammed him to the ground.

He released her ankles and she got up with a back handspring. Liu got up too.

"Not bad. You might not just be a hot-headed idiot," Liu baited.

"I can't say the same thing about you though," Ty Lum countered. Liu's face twitched and he came at her again.

His fists were flying at a higher speed than before. All Liu could do was dodge and she did dodge most of the attacks. She suffered several blows to her face and abdomen. She didn't give into the pain and counterattacked.

She ducked under his fist, struck him in his side. She grabbed his wrist once again and pulled his arm upward. She brought her elbow back and used her arm to hit his elbow. Ty Lum heard a crack and let go.

She backed up and every part of her body ached. Her labored breathing was very audible and showed that she had nearly reached her limit. She wasn't going to give up. Her budget wasn't going to be cut severely by an inn.

 _I have to win!_

She took the initiative and attacked Liu. He fluidly dodged and kicked Ty Lum in the face. That didn't stop her as she snuck behind him and grabbed him by the waist and flipped him over. She let him go and rolled out from under him. They both stood their ground.

"You can barely move. Forfeit, kid," Liu said.

"And you can't move your arm. Why should I forfeit?" Ty Lum countered.

 **RING**

A bell was rung and they backed off.

"Wow! The challenger lasted one round with Liu. Who will win?" the announcer hyped the crowd up.

Ty Lum leaned against the cage and let a sigh of relief slip past her lips. The crowd roars grew louder. She cleared her head and thought back to her time in the Fire Nation.

 _I need to think. Fighting like this isn't going to get me to win. I need to use-_

"Round 2. You can now use bending," the announcer said.

 _Shit!_

The two walked back to the center and faced each other until the announcer rang the bell. Ty Lum automatically jumped back to avoid the boulder that came her way. She needed to end him and fast before he caught on.

She dodged his incoming shraps of the earth. One caught her shin and she grunted but kept going. Ty Lum reached her hand out and poked Liu's arm. He tried to earthbend with his hand but it didn't work. He tried again and it still didn't work.

"What did you do?" Liu asked shocked. His calm facade broke when he realized he couldn't bend with that arm. He went to using his legs. He relentlessly kicked more boulders at Ty Lum. She flowed through it the best she could but got hit multiple times.

She sprinted and jumped as high as her body would let her and spun. She was in Liu's personal space and knew he couldn't hit her while she was this close. She reached to poke him again and he blocked and threw her upward.

He sent earth needles to try to kill her. She maneuvered around the needles by constant and awkward body changes. She shot straight for Liu and he brought up an earth barrier. She curled up into a ball and broke through it.

She knew she couldn't win because she was tired but she might as well go out with a bang. She straightened up and darted towards him like a bullet from the sky.

She headbutted him in the face. They both fell down the ground and the bell rung.

 **RING**

"Round two is over! Are they still conscious?" the announcer asked.

The referee checked and nodded. Ty Lum rolled away from Liu. She stumbled back up and went to the corner. She asked someone for a mirror and a random lady gave it to her.

She looked at how busted her face was. She had a gash on her forehead, a bruised eye, half of her face was swollen, and various cuts around her body. She sat there and took a deep breath. She couldn't last any longer.

The bell rung again and they stood at the center. Ty Lum could barely see out her left eye.

"Why are we fighting again?" Ty Lum asked.

"You are fighting for something you want, yes? It would be a shame if you back down now...It was starting to get fun," Liu elaborated.

"I won't be able to move for several days and all over a stupid free room. I wish my Lord wasn't a cheapskate when it comes to me," Ty Lum rambled on. She moved very slow. Maybe even slower than a snail.

"Your Lord?" Liu commented.

She nodded and took one step forward. Which proved to be a step too far as she fainted on the spot.

 **Four Days Later**

She walked around the infirmary with Shei around her shoulders. His childish squeals brought a smile to her face.

"Are you feeling better, Ty Limmie?" the boy asked her. She nodded and continued to bounce the kid around. She laughed at his various sounds of excitement. She put him and squatted to his eye level.

"Yes, I feel amazing Shei. I have to recover fast so I can leave. I'm majorly behind schedule," she told the kid. As a response, he pouted.

"No fair! You can't leave yet! You haven't seen all of Omashu," he argued back. He puffed out his cheeks and crossed his arm and looked away.

Ty Lum actually felt guilty for leaving him and she hadn't even looked at the ferry. As a consolation, she picked him back up and carried him back to her room.

She opened her door and saw her doctor talking to a man in elaborate robes. She assumed him to be a noble of some kind. Despite how illogical it was, Ty Lum harbored feelings of worry that they found out her true origin.

"Is there something going on?" Ty Lum asked calmly. She looked back and forth between the two until one spoke up.

"Yes, in fact...Great news even! I am Shin, Royal Advisor of King Bumi of Omashu. You are eligible to compete in a tournament to become the Princess of Omashu. Congra-" Shin started.

"I decline. Thank you for the offer," Ty Lum shot down. She bowed out of respect and walked into the room past Shin. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Excuse me for my curiosity, but why not?" Shin asked, clearly confused.

"I do not consider myself worthy of becoming a figurehead of one the most prestigious cities of the Earth Kingdom. I also have many other things to attend to. I am already behind schedule for several days so I have to cover a lot of ground. Once again, thank you for the offer," Ty Lum respectfully explained. It was a half-lie or as she called it a half-truth. Ty Lum was a devout, loyal citizen of the Fire Nation and nothing could simply change that.

"I think that explanation explains exactly why you are worthy. The tournament is not simply just a fight and who wins, wins. It's about tact, intellect, and patience. All those virtues are what makes a princess a princess. Now we can't also just have a princess who can't defend themselves. It would be a waste," Shin tried to convince Ty Lum. Ty Lum turned to look at him, eyes full of interest.

"Say if I do join, participate, and win. What will I gain from it besides a title? One cannot simply integrate the responsibilities and mannerisms that a noble is taught from birth, into their lives. What is the catch for becoming the princess? What do I have to give up in order to become the princess?" Ty Lum asked persistently.

Shin smirked. "Well I can't go into detail but one thing is a guaranteed sacrifice...Time. One thing you'll get in return is an allowance, of course. If you are curious, report to the Royal Hall at 10 AM sharp. I put my faith in my nomination," Shin said before he dismissed himself.

"Your housing and medical bills were paid for by himself. Please repay him the kindness and at least go to the meeting. Because tomorrow, you will be discharged. I believe you get what the implications are. Good day," the doctor said before he dismissed himself and left.

Shei groaned and plopped on Ty Lum's bed. "Ughhh! They were so boring but does that mean Ty Limmie is going to become a princess?" He asked with sparkles in his eyes.

She sighed as a response. "If I win. Which I'm hoping I won't because I do...I'm royally screwed," she explained.

"Then don't go."

"I have to. It's the right thing to. Was I being backed into a corner of acceptance? Absolutely. Will that change my obligation to return a favor? No," she told herself to process her conscious decision.

 _I am an honorable citizen of the Fire Nation. I will give credit when credit is due and that time is now. What could possibly go wrong?_

She was lost in thought about the tournament while she waited for Shei's parents to come pick him up.


	2. Princess Academy

Ty Lum took a deep breath before she entered the Royal Hall. She had on the clothes Shin had given to her doctor the day before. It was made out of the finest silk of the Earth Kingdom but wasn't in the same league as Fire Nation clothing, in Ty Lum's opinion.

"Chin up and back straight and face forward," the instructor told the girls. It was an old woman wearing standard noble attire. Her face was covered in moderate makeup. The way she carried herself made her seem timeless, one thing that Ty Lum admired.

She looked at each girl one by one, critiquing all of their flaws in posture. She got to Ty Lum and looked her up and down. "You look too proud. A princess must have a sense of meekness and look visibly compassionate." Ty Lum hid a scoff and merely accepted the criticism.

She went through the rest of the girls and stood into the center. "There are twenty-four candidates that stand before me. You all have been handpicked by the advisors of the king. He has no legacy to carry after him. He will cultivate the sole winner of this competition. It will not be easy. It will be heartbreaking, cruel, and fierce. I wish you the best of luck. You will be assigned roommates and you will attend class tomorrow. Dismissed," the old woman explained to all of them.

Ty Lum looked amongst her new peers and no one significantly stood out. Their age group was about the same. Ranging from twelve to nineteen. She knew no one in Omashu besides Shei and his parent. Even then, she didn't know his parents that well.

She walked to the wall were the scrolls were showing who their roommates are. She looked at the list and saw someone named "Suguru" was her new roommate. Other girls started grouping together much to Ty Lum's dismay.

A girl with twin braids walked up to her with a beaming smile. "My name is Suguru. You must be Hadoka, yes?" she asked Ty Lum. Ty Lum merely nodded and Suguru bowed to her. Ty Lum returned the bow and heard a giggle. Ty Lum felt her cheeks burn.

"No need to be so formal. We're roommates after all," Suguru appeased the embarrassed Ty Lum.

"Let's go explore the palace. Shall we?" Suguru cheerfully asked the girl. The girl just followed along silently.

They reached a garden filled with a numerous variety of brightly colored flowers. The aroma was enough to make Ty Lum never want to leave. The air felt so fresh and clear. There was a feeling of inner peace there. Suguru grabbed her hand and led her under the giant tree.

"My parents aren't very rich. The only reason I know of this place is that of the visits my parents would take here. They were well-known merchants but didn't make much. The advisor took a liking to my parents and observed us from afar. That's how me and my older sister, Jin, got selected," Suguru revealed to the other girl.

"Why did you accept? Did you want to be an income source for your parents? Or for the sake of being a princess?" Ty Lum quietly asked. She sat down and leaned against the tree. Ty Lum knew she overstepped her boundaries and went to apologize.

"My apologies. I did not mean to intrude-" Suguru interrupted her.

"Don't worry, I don't mind at all. I was afraid that you weren't going to say anything at all. The reason I came along was to support my sister. Her reason is to help our parents out and I will do anything to help her," Suguru said with a serious face. Her smile comes back. "How were you chosen?" she innocently asked her.

Ty Lum cringed at Suguru's kindness. She didn't like it at all. No one in the entire world could be this nice. "I was trying to find an inn to sleep in so I could leave the next day. Apparently, they weren't cheap and I had to fight to lower the price. Apparently, one of the advisors admired my determination," Ty Lum truthfully answered.

Suguru's expression went blank before beaming into a gigantic grin again. "That's pretty cool. I guess you were kinda thrust into this since you're a foreigner. Are your parents coming to cheer you on?" Suguru questioned.

"N-no, I'm very far from home. On a self-finding journey that I intended to finish three years from now. I guess that's been pushed back for a while now," Ty Lum grumbled. She flipped her hair behind her shoulder and waited for the bubbly girl's response.

"What are you talking about? You can still find yourself even if you are still in the same place for a while. Growth can happen while staying completely still. You are still on the same track but just stationary for a while. That's how I would look at it, a mental journey while physically vacationing," Suguru wisely answered.

Ty Lum looked at her in surprise. She'd never thought of it that way. She smiled at Suguru and stood up. "Thank you for your perspective. I appreciate it." Ty Lum held her hand out to help Suguru up. The other girl took the offer and stood up.

"Let's head back, it's getting late," Suguru told Ty Lum before dragging her to the dorms.

 **TiMe SkIp**

They arrived on time as the old lady walked in the hallway. The princesses stood in pairs outside their assigned door. The old lady walks up and down the hallway. She cleared her throat in stood with perfect posture.

"I will formally introduce myself tomorrow. As of now, I will instruct you on your daily schedule now. You will wake up and be prepared for class tomorrow by 8 AM. We have specific uniforms that you will be wearing from now on. The morning class will end at 11 AM and you will have until 12 PM to eat lunch and prepare for evening classes. Evening classes will last until 4 PM and 8 PM is the curfew. You will be in bed at 8 PM sharp or you will face disciplinary actions. Understood?" the lady explained and asked them.

"Understood," all the candidates said, simultaneously.

"Good. You are dismissed for the night. See you at 8 AM sharp," the woman said before she turned around and left. Ty Lum unlocked the door with the key that was already in the knob. Suguru stopped Ty Lum from going into the room. She looked back and say and gorgeous girl that looked about eighteen with black hair and brown eyes that cascaded down her back.

"Oh, is this my cute little sister's roommate. My name is Jin and this is Li, Zhilan, Guang, Jiao, Meilin, Shu, and Xia. These are my girls, were all totally best friend and totally made a pact to make it into the final ten. Would you two like to join? I know you want to, Susu," Jin teased her younger sister. Ty Lum looked at all the older girls and realize they all were incredibly pretty.

"Stop it and no. I won't join you and Hadoka is my friend. Now go to bed so you can learn stuff tomorrow. I won't have you lose because you won't sleep. Now go," Suguru scolded her older sister and shoved her away. Suguru dragged her into the room. Ty Lum raised a brow at Suguru's possessiveness.

Suguru locked the door and Ty Lum checked out the room. It was pretty spacious and contained two queen sized beds, two drawers, two massive walk-in closets, and two gigantic mirrors.

"This is a bit of overkill don't you think?" Suguru as she walked around the room herself.

"I guess we have to adjust to the overkill lifestyle," Ty Lum joked. Suguru laughed at the joke and walk back toward Ty Lum and grabbed her hands. Ty Lum tensed up but then relaxed.

"Let's take a bath together. We don't want to waste water that all the other princesses are going to use. Besides, it's more fun to bathe with others." Suguru suggested and it freaked Ty Lum out. Nobles usually bathed by themselves with the help of assistants but common folk usually did bathe together. Ty Lum sighed and complied with Suguru's requests.

TimE skip

The two sit in the massive tub that could fit fifty people. Ty Lum sunk into the water until only her nose and eyes are visible. She peacefully bathed herself only to have Suguru's sneak attack catch her off guard.

"Why are you hiding in the water? We're both girls so it shouldn't matter. We have the same parts," Suguru pouted.

"I don't want anyone to see my parts. Neither should you. They are a sacred part of the body," Ty Lum responded.

"So are mine but what makes the sacred is that it's not for everybody to receive. Anyone can see my body but are they able to touch it is the real question. I will respect your wishes though," Suguru said before sinking back into the water and swimming away.

"She's strange," Ty Lum whispered to herself.

 **Time Skip**

The two sit on Suguru's bed and play a hand game. Ty Lum won and Suguru laughed. "To be honest, I never had many friends. Every time my sister would come around, they would start hanging around her instead of me. She's like this magnet and I'm this weird thing," Suguru randomly confessed.

"One thing you forget is that magnet don't only attract, they repel. The amount that she has, there is an amount the despise. I can relate too as my younger sisters are the centers of attention. One is even friends with the princess of where I come from. I was also friends with the princess, you see but I was less interesting than my younger sister. She is this ball of sunshine and I can't keep up. I admire your support for your sister while I shamefully can admit at one point in my life I resented all my younger siblings," Ty Lum comforted.

"Thanks, Koda. Oh yeah, I'll teach you something special. It's called the 'Ultimate Friend Shake." Suguru got off the bed and motioned for Ty Lum to join her. Ty Lum got off the bed and stood across from Suguru.

Suguru holds her hands out and Ty Lum does the same. Suguru showed her a series of high fives and claps and Ty Lum imitated it immediately. They practiced it until Ty Lum got it down to a T.

"Now for the last part," Suguru mumbles. She clapped her hand high and smacked her hand low and kissed Ty Lum on the cheek. Ty Lum was taken aback and put her hand on her own cheek.

"The kiss of promise. In history books, people used to do it all the time. It's so unique that no one would copy it," Suguru explained. Ty Lum went along with it and lightly kissed Suguru on the cheek. Suguru smiled but it wasn't her normal smile and skipped to her bed.

"Okay! Now it's time for bed. See you tomorrow morning!" Suguru cheerfully said as she went to sleep.

Ty Lum went to bed herself and fell asleep.

 **Time Skip**

"Hadoka, wake up. We have to get ready," Suguru woke the girl up. Ty Lum looked dazed and confused instead of annoyed.

"What's going on?" Ty Lum asked. She sat up and stretched her body before she got out of bed.

"We have class at 8," Suguru reminded, "let's get ready."

Ty Lum followed Suguru to the bathroom and started her morning routine. She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and did her hair.

"Can you help me pull up my hair?" Suguru asked. Ty Lum didn't mind and help the young girl pull up her hair and tied it with a green ribbon. Sugura thanked her and they both leave the bathroom to get their uniforms.

The uniform was similar to the Fire Nation's but just green. Suguru couldn't tie the ribbon around her waist right and Ty Lum decided to help again. "No, Suguru, you tie it this way. So it won't knot or come loose." The girl wrapped the ribbon and tied the bow on the front. Ty Lum realized how close she was when she saw Suguru blush from the contact. She backed away and they both left the room to head to class.

 **Time Skip**

They walked into the classroom, arm in arm. They picked seats in the back of the classroom which were not close to any of the other princesses. Ty Lum looked at all the princesses and seen that they had started breaking into groups of their own. The biggest one being Jin's clique.

Jin caught Ty Lum's gaze and winked at her. Ty Lum raised a brow in response but didn't verbally respond. She felt Suguru's hand on her shoulder and she looked back at the girl. Suguru had a frown on her face when she looked at her sister but beamed when she looked back at Ty Lum.

"Don't worry about my sister...She could be a little weird," Suguru whispered and Ty Lum chuckled. The other girl's assurances amused Ty Lum.

"I see. Does it run in the family?" Ty Lum lightly teased. Suguru merely pouted at the lighthearted joke and looked away.

Ty Lum was about to tell Suguru to lighten up but a wooden tap on a desk caught her attention. It was the old lady from yesterday. Her posture still perfect and her face still timeless, she cleared her throat and began talking.

"I will properly introduce myself today. I am Joo Dee, your etiquette teacher. I will tell you a little about myself. I worked as a tour guide, administrator, and supreme bureaucratic for forty years. During the Seige of Ba Sing Se, led by the Fire Nation General Iroh, I was forced to flee the city but I believe my legacy still lives on. Now, that's enough about me as of now. You will come up here one by one and introduce yourselves. Please, do not set yourself up for failure," Joo Dee explained.

A wave of annoyance stuck Ty Lum in the face. She didn't want to introduce herself to anyone else besides who she had to. Ty Lum also sincerely enjoyed Suguru's company.

One by one each of the princesses introduced themselves. None of them caught her eye. Then Jin walked up to the front of the class.

"Hello, my name is Jin. I am pleased to meet you all. Now that pleasantries are out the way I'm going to say that I do not intend on losing and I plan on winning. I'm not going to sugarcoat it, we all want to win which is why we are here so bring it on," Jin challenged. No one responded but the responses were a mix of shock, disgust, and scorn. Ty Lum only rolled her eyes at the failed attempt of intimidation but respected her perspective.

Joo Dee cleared her throat. "Your point is valid, Ms. Jin but your tact and vocabulary are lacking thereof. Please have a seat," Joo Dee scolded. Some of the princesses laughed at Jin's embarrassment and others snorted.

Suguru's turn was next and she timidly walked to the front of the classroom. She looked down at her feet and tweedled her fingers. The next second she looked up with the fiercest gaze Ty Lum has ever seen. Confidence radiated off of Suguru.

"I am Suguru. I am Jin's younger sister. It is nice to meet all...Let's have a good time and form friendships until the end," Suguru brightly called out. She flashed them a shiny smile and gave the class a thumbs up.

They are practically Yin and Yang, aren't they?

"You have a beautiful smile, young lady. Your naivety will be the cause of your downfall. Please have a seat," Joo Dee merely critiqued if you can call it that. Ty Lum personally disagreed as naivety can also be the cause of victory. She herself knew it.

Ty Lum was next and she was not fond of it at all. She stood up with and plastered the blankest face she could have mustered. She took on the persona of an impenetrable wall

"My name is Hadoka," she started off strongly. Her gaze pierced into the soul of each onlooker," I am here not to antagonize nor socialize with you. I have no desire to do so. I hope we can get along and for the fulfillment of our best interest. Nice meeting you all," Ty Lum finished off the same way she started. She graced them with a small smile.

"You statement on neutrality is excellent. Your deliverance makes your message seem condescending, is that what you were aiming for?" Joo Dee questioned. The older woman cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

"No, I wasn't but I seem to come off as that way. I guess my arrogance is more visible than I thought," Ty Lum admitted. She resisted the urge to smirk at the irritation that crossed the woman's face. She heard the woman take a deep before speaking.

"Your arrogance will cause everything to go to ruin as a princess. Nothing further. Please have a seat," Joo Dee instructed and Ty Lum obeyed.

Ty Lum sat down beside Suguru and looked at the girl. Suguru grabbed Ty Lum's hand and brought it to her chest and smiled.

"You were so cool, Hadoka," Suguru beamed. Ty Lum gave her a small smile before nodding.

"Thank you." Ty Lum shook her hand to try to get the girl to release her hand. Suguru wouldn't let get and Ty Lum gave up shortly after.

"Alright now that introductions are over, class will begin," Joo Dee announced. She took out her pointer and extended it. She smacked the board with it to get the class's attention.

 **Time Skip**

It was time for lunch and Suguru clung to Ty Lum like there was no tomorrow. They walked until they hit the cafeteria which was the dining room but not the main one. They sat at the end of the table. Ty Lum picked up the menu.

"What do you want to eat, Suguru?" Ty Lum offered to buy her food.

"It kinda sucks that we still have to pay for our meals but I can't complain since they pay for everything else. Oh! I would like Chilled Miso Soup! It cleans out the soul," Suguru chirped.

"You kinda act like a child, you know?" Ty Lum observed. Her smile died and her face contorted to a glare. Ty Lum appeared to have stuck a giant cord in the girl.

"I am not a kid. I am a fully grown woman thank you!" Suguru told Ty Lum. Ty Lum recoiled and recovered with a smirk. She shrugged and looked away in a teasing manner.

"I am fully aware that you are a woman. You are really beautiful, Suguru," Ty Lum genuinely complimented her immature counterpart. She noted how the girl grew extremely red.

"H-Hadoka, thanks," Suguru mumbled through her blush. Their moment was ruined as Jin and her friends took seats right by and across from them.

"Yo Hadoka! That was some ballsy shit you said. I like it," Jin complimented as she took a seat by her. Jin wrapped her arm around the young girl and pulled her into a half hug.

Ty Lum tried to tug away from the older girl and as a result, Jin gripped her body even tighter. Suguru giggled at her friend's discomfort. Ty Lum glared at her roommate and silently begged her to be released.

Xia cleared her throat and Jin released the young girl. "Now you know better than to harass the young ones. You can bother La if you want to annoy someone," Xia smirked and pointed to another girl.

"Ugh. I hate that bitch. All she ever do is be a stuck-up kissass, it's annoying. Like shouldn't she be sucking Lee's dick behind the courtyard somewhere?" Jin vulgarly insulted the girl. Suguru went red and she walked over to Jin and smacked her arm.

"Jiiiin. You know better. This quarter is on etiquette you have to be careful about how you speak. You can't be so openly vulgar. Wait until the last quarter," Suguru scolded.

Ty Lum raised a brow. "What does the last quarter have to do with vulgarity?"

Suguru looked back and rolled her eyes. "The last quarter is on fighting abilities. I'm pretty sure they have looser rules on etiquette when fighting is basically a 'heat of the moment' kind of thing-" Suguru stopped talking and looked at Ty Lum's palm that was currently in her face.

Ty Lum withdrew her hand and sighed. Her grip tightened on her cup. "It doesn't work like that. This is a competition right but it is not meant to based on bad blood between competitors. Etiquette is taught first so everything doesn't go to absolute shit later on during fighting." Her tone was sad as she looked away.

Xia cleared her throat to release any tension that built up from Ty Lum's comment. She dusted off her green overcoat and flipped her hair. "To play devil's advocate in place of Jin and Suguru, I would have to disagree. While mannerisms are important in spars against each other...that will not matter during an actual fight. If we value the importance of etiquette too much, our lives may be in danger."

Ty Lum put her hand on her chin and considered Xia's point of view for a second. She then shook her head. "I'm not saying to be nice to your opponent and hold hands. I am merely saying we cannot abandon morale while fighting that differentiate between murder and defense. If we so carelessly kill, we are no different from our aggressors. That's etiquette in an actual fight," Ty Lum sharply rebuttal.

Ty Lum glare into the distance was enough to spark suspicion. Jiao gripped Xia by the shoulder and shook her head. Xia held her tongue from speaking any further and nodded at Ty Lum, accepting defeat. The food came and everyone ate in absolute silence.

 **Time Skip**

The group sat in the back of the class. Ty Lum stared at the chalkboard with envy. Her eyes glassed over and uneventfully dead. It didn't concern anyone due to the face the girl had a deep scowl on her face. Ty Lum gripped the desk in hidden rage.

She looked at her classmates and frowned even deeper. A feeling a guilt and disgust mixed together in her stomach. She resisted the urge to throw up as her head throbbed. Ty Lum over the past hour realized her dilemma she got herself stuck in.

She wasn't an earth resident and she lived among them to compete for power. She was to merely serve her purpose to give intel and stay under the radar. She can fluke the whole thing and get eliminated but her Lord would advise against it.

He knows nothing of where or what I'm doing. I'm currently disobeying orders.

Ty Lum's pride won't let her lose anyways. Bitterness hit her like a train. She ever asked for any of this. She felt bitter because she was finally questioning the intentions behind her being on these missions. They felt pointless...like busywork. She is of the Fire Nation, and proudly so and she resented anything that made her feel any different.

She hated how she loved it. She hated that she wanted to stay. She was superior to everyone in the room. She knew so because that's the truth of Fire Nation children. She was blessed with this task by the Fire Lord personally. If that was the case...

Why did she feel so...

Out of place...?

She had no options of opinions. They told and she obeyed. Every single command she obeyed. Here she is not listening. Her she was exercising her free will. It was treacherous. Her free will was treacherous. She dared to smile. She dared to be happy.

It dawned on her like an ocean. She lost sight of her purpose in the pursuit of self-satisfaction and pride. She had no right. Her being is for the benefit of her country not for living her life.

Why did this have to happen right now? I hate this. Why can't I live how I want? Is it really okay to live like this? Do I really have the right to questions the decision of my country?

"Ty Lum!" Suguru yelled and Ty Lum snapped out her stupor. Her head snapped over to Suguru and she looked up to teary eyes. Suguru grabbed Ty Lum's hand and yanked her out of the seat with surprising strength. Suguru gripped Ty Lum's shoulders and sniffled. Ty Lum's eyes softened at the sight of the crying girl.

"What's wrong, Suguru?" Ty Lum gripped the girl's hands and rubbed small circles on them. The girl looked away and looked back. She pulled Ty Lum into a hug and sobbed. Ty Lum froze then smiled. She rubbed the girl's hair and offered words of comfort.

"Please don't look like that again. It breaks my heart. I want my one and only friend, Hadoka, to be happy. So please, don't cry," Suguru said through her sobs. They echo off the walls in the empty classroom. Ty Lum merely closed her eyes and nodded. A stray tear fell down her face.

 _Just this once. I will do what I want to._

 **(AN: I really hope you guys like this.)**


	3. Etiquette Final and A New Tide

Ty Lum woke up as another day passes. She'd been at that academy for nearly half a year and her relationships with the girls had gotten better. A little too well for her liking, she thought her feelings of friendship towards Suguru would weaken and falter to where she can leave.

She was wrong. They had gotten stronger and stronger to where she could never imagine leaving the girl's side. Ty Lum hated the thought of parting with a genuine friend even if they were from an enemy nation. She absentmindedly went through the morning routine without paying attention to anything.

"Hodoka? Are you okay? Is it because of the exam?" Suguru asked. She looped around Ty Lum and hugged her from behind as a sense of comfort. A gesture Ty Lum appreciated but didn't need nor want from Suguru. Ty Lum simply stood there in the hug and accepted it. Suguru giggled and let go and skipped out the room.

Ty Lum rolled her eyes and followed the girl out of the room. They were immediately greeted by the Daughters of Pandora. Ty Lum didn't mind the name of the group of eight, as the thought behind it impressed her. The name caught on due to the fact that they were the top of performers in the class. Ty Lum was nine and Suguru was ten and Jin was number one.

Ty Lum didn't pour her heart and gave it her all and even if she did, she would probably be third overall anyway. Fire nation etiquette is fairly different from the Earth Kingdom, respectively. She was learning alongside with others and the information she required about etiquette can't be of any use to Fire Lord Ozai.

She never gave the Lord an update on her location nor position and she was deathly afraid of the consequences. She didn't want to think about it but her thoughts kept drifting back to her homeland. She wondered how her parents were and how her friend was.

She was deep in thought as she entered the class and sat in her designated seat for the exam. She looked around at her classmate's faces and seen how glum they are. All their eyes stone cold and ready for anything that stood in their way to success.

The room was deathly quiet and the slow clacking of Joo Dee's heels broke the silence in the room. She straightened out and cleared her throat, gathering everyone's attention. Everyone's eyes zeroed onto the stack of paper in her arms but they did not dare to speak up. The tension built up and reached a peak to where they expected.

"There are two stages of this test. One is obviously, the written test is to show that you are capable to retain all the information that has been taught to you. The second part consists of acting out in a scenario. As a princess, you are most likely will always be surrounded by men and women of the highest stature. We do not need a princess who knows the material but can not apply them," Joo Dee announced.

Ty Lum steeled herself, her determination was withering by the second. Everyone picked up their brushes and opened their container of ink. "After the test, four of you will be asked to leave the castle. After the oral test, four more of you will be asked to leave. I am sure you are fully aware that after today, there will only be sixteen of you left," Joo Dee added. The reality dawned on them that there is a possibility that one of their very close friends will not make it.

Ty Lum looked warily at Suguru. She needed another reason to stay rooted in this competition besides Suguru's company. Ty Lum nearly scowled at the paper as it was sat on the top of her desk. She picked up her brush and made her first stroke.

 **Time Skip**

The room was deathly silent as the sound of tears echoes throughout the room. Ty Lum bitterly looked at the few girls who were hugging and saying their farewells. Tears shamelessly streamed down their face and she didn't know what to make of it. They cried like they knew each other for a lifetime and every moment with each other was bliss. Jin and her friends wore all the same expression, cold and unforgiving. She swore she had seen a smile of amusement from Xia.

She herself did not know her face was the same. Cruel and calculating as if judging the others for having and showing emotions. Her gaze met one of the eliminated four and the girl cried harder, which surprised Ty Lum. She awkwardly looked away and avoided eye contact with anyone else with that superior look on her face. Ty Lum did not know as of why she considered showing consideration for anyone in that room. She knew she was above all of them and none of them can take that away from her.

A cruel smirk surfaced on her face and she caught the same girl's gaze and the girl lashed out. "STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT! YOU ARE NOT BETTER THAN ME! YOU CAN SIT THERE AND ACT ALL INNOCENT BUT I KNOW YOUR TYPE! YOU ARE GOING TO BETRAY EVERYTHING IN YOUR PATH THAT DOES NOT SEE YOU AS GOD! I HOPE YOU DIE!" the girl yelled before being pulled out of the classroom. Ty Lum face remained the same despite her horror. She wanted to defend herself, yell or scream but she has been taught better. She felt the ghost of tears at the brim of her eyes. She couldn't cry anymore and refused to cry.

At that thought all she can do is smile, suppressing a laugh from her throat. She wanted to scream at how unfair the whole rant had been. She knew exactly what the girl was trying to do and Ty Lum didn't buy into any of her words. She didn't buy into any of her words? No, she would never believe the words of an inferior. Did she? Ty Lum sat still and thought it over and over. Ty Lum sat there with bitterness started to settle in and a hand on her shoulder retracted it.

"Hodoka? It's time for the second test. We have to go," Jin said as Suguru stood in the back during the whole situation. Ty Lum nodded and stood up and walked with the rest of them to the other area. The room they walked into was covered in extravagant wall decorations, carpet made out of the finest material. It wasn't enough for Ty Lum as the green reminded her that this is not her home and it never will be. Her throat went dry and she couldn't swallow the lump in her throat.

They all lined up in a single line and are called one by one to demonstrate proper etiquette. Ty Lum resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Her name was called and she walked forward and went through the motions. Her mind went blank as she thought of nothing. She didn't too less neither too much as the observer was female. Extra movements would not sway the score in her favor.

After her presentation, she walked out the room and sat along the rest of those who'd finished. She waited until Suguru came out and decided to speak up. She looked up only to meet Suguru's distant and sad gaze. Ty Lum stood up and opened her arms to invite her friend in for a hug as a sense of comfort. Ty Lum knew that look more than well. Suguru took the offer and initiated the hug and squeezed the life out of Ty Lum.

"It's going to be okay. You probably passed. You did better than the bottom three," Ty Lum whispered while she stroked the girl's hair. Suguru gripped her even tighter and she sobbed into her chest. There was an uneasy weight in her chest that she couldn't define. The awkwardness of the tears put Ty Lum even more on edge.

"That's not the point. I don't want to be the bottom of the barrel. If I don't get eliminated, I'm still the lowest one here. I can't be here knowing this-" Suguru ranted before Jin yanked her off of Ty Lum. Jin stood protectively in front of Suguru and glared at Ty Lum.

It confused her to no end as to why Jin had such hate written on her face. Ty Lum's face of confusion contorted to irritation and annoyance. Suguru tried to come from behind and run towards Ty Lum but Jin grabbed her.

"The hell is going on!" Jin yelled at the top of her lungs at Ty Lum. The girl doesn't flinch from the older one's baseless fury. There was a tiny bit of hurt that shot through her heart though. Was she not trustworthy enough for her own friends?

 _Of course not. I am a liar._

"Your sister felt as if she was going to fail and I hugged her. Is there a problem with that, Jin?" Ty Lum countered. She showed obvious distaste towards the girl's excessive aggression. A hint of guilt filled its way in her body at how little restraint Ty Lum showed. The hurt from the mistrust was overtaking the annoyance and fury. Ty Lum didn't like it. Not one bit of it.

"I suggest you keep your hands off her the next time," Jin dismissed as she bumped Ty Lum at the shoulder before leaving. The girl had to use every fiber in her body to restrain herself from wringing her neck and she flinched at the thought. A tinge of anger arose from her underlying care for Jin. She gritted her teeth and ensured that no one noticed.

Suguru ran over back to Ty Lum and pulled her along back to the dorm. Ty Lum stumbled as she got dragged out of the room from staring onlookers. Ty Lum resisted being pulled but failed.

"They didn't announce who's leaving," Ty Lum reasoned with the girl. Suguru shrugged and kept pulling her until they reach their room. Suguru opened the door without the use of a key.

"You don't have to stay to know. Your door would have been locked or your key would be missing and your clothes would be outside. The first part, they give them time to pack because it's early. The second part, they pack for you because it's late. So come on!" Suguru informed Ty Lum before dragging her into the room.

Ty Lum inwardly questioned how she knew that but kept it to herself. She had no desire to pry into the girl's business.

Ty Lum pulled away from Suguru and glared. "What's your sister's problem? All I did was hug you!" she yelled. All of her frustrations was oozing out of her like a fountain. All her insecurities, thoughts, and worries were all aimed towards Jin at that moment.

Suguru walked over and hugged her again and gave a generous squeeze but it brought no comfort for Ty Lum. It merely brought uneasiness and confusion. There was a dull thumping in her heart but she held onto to that and she refused to let it grow. She knew how dangerous her thoughts and actions were and it hurt.

She was afraid. She was deathly afraid of what her heart would bring. Suguru was her life support in Omashu and she had no clue how to change that if she could.

 _ **Then again there is always the courtesy of the family.**_

"Hadoka?" Suguru innocently asked her. Ty Lum heart beat even faster and it disgusted her. She saw the faint blush in Suguru's cheeks and visibly scowled. She gritted her teeth and she bowed her head. Suguru gave her reassuring pat on the back that didn't help either.

She took a big breath and paused and she pulled away and stormed out the room. She had no clue why but she knew she had to. She realized people here are getting way too comfortable to cross her in such a way. The audacity to touch her. The audacity to berate her. The audacity to raise their voice at. The audacity to be treated as anything less than a superior. Her jaw clenched as she struggled between two deadly emotions.

She will teach scum to know their exact place. How dare they make her feel like this? How dare they make treat her like this? How dare they make her feel like one of them? How dare they make her feel safe and welcomed? How dare they make her question herself?

 _I wanted to do things my way. I want to do things my way. Five months. FIVE months of enduring this and realized I like it. I hate them. I hate them. I hate this feeling._

She ran until she couldn't run no more and crashed into a corner and curled up and cried. She had no idea why they ran down her face. The situation was nothing but it made her realize that she really didn't belong there.

Tears streamed down her face in silent rage and sadness as she had no one that knew her. They know nothing but a mere facade and it rang true within her soul. She looked out onto the garden and recalled the day she met everyone. She looked lingering shadows of people leaving, people that legitimately belong here.

 **Time Skip**

"Now may I ask who are you?" an elderly voice

She turned around and saw none other but King Bumi himself. He looked at her with a calculating eye that is full of life and humor. Ty Lum shoots up and straightens up with her back straight and eyes straight forward and narrowed.

"I am Hadoka. Candidate #19. It is an honor to meet you King Bumi," she said with the utmost respect. She did not bow and she could not bow. She refused to.

The king waved off her formality and chuckled. "No need for all that. I merely wish to know what has you crying on my grounds. I can't have someone in tears in my vicinity, can I?" He motioned for her to follow him to the bench in the garden.

They both sit down and Ty Lum feels a wave of shame overcome her. She's gotten too attached to her surroundings and let it get to her. She looked out into the distance as the petals drift through the wind. One thing she could appreciate the situation was the scenery. She couldn't deny the peace the garden brought her.

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful King Bumi but I don't belong here," Ty Lum truthfully told him.

A small smile shows up on his face as he responds to the girl. "Incorrect. You do belong here."

Confusion doesn't fail to show up on her face as she looked at him. She brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. She looked at him and only saw kindness. Not hate loathing, annoyance, nor superiority. His presence screamed authority and demanded respect which she did not mind paying. He was so different from Lord Ozai.

"What do you mean, sir?" Ty Lum skeptically asked.

King Bumi cackles like she asked the simplest in the universe. Her expression softens at the liveliness of the King and she herself cracks a small smile. She started frowning when his laugh carried on for too long for her liking.

Bumi paused and his face went blank again. He pulled out a gem and bit into it and Ty Lum cringed at the crunch. "You didn't get eliminated which means you are meant to be here," he stated simply.

Ty Lum stared out into the sunset and she sighed. "That's not exactly what I meant. I am merely an outsider who came in and practically in the running to take over," Ty Lum carefully worded. She looked over to see the whole village of those who didn't even have a chance.

"You were chosen for a reason. Outsider or not, you were chosen for the mere fact that you've shown what many lacked. I hope to see you until the end as you are quite interesting. Also...do you want some gemanite?" He offered the rock candy and Ty Lum reluctantly took it.

She chewed it in silence before she spoke up again, "What do I have that they don't? I am merely T- Hadoka. The unremarkable elder of the sextuplets," Hodoka mumbles as she picked at the grass. She opened her hand and let the blades go with the wind.

"Oh, that answer is simple too. Look up."

She looked up and saw all the stars in their glory. She never really took the time took to look up as there was so much ahead to be done.

"All these stars are special. They are forever changing and they carry on throughout life. These stars come and go. They are always there but not always in sight but they are forever shining. That's what all the candidates represent. Constant light and shifting. Too many are complacent with their lives. Is that necessarily bad? Not at all but there are those out there who see that change is needed for others rather than themselves," Bumi told her as he pointed at a particular star.

"There are so many though. None of them are necessarily special by themselves," Ty Lum argued, not following Bumi's point.

"They are phenomenal together as a whole because each one is individually bright. It's not how bright one is or how big one is. It is about how it reflects around others," Bumi restated his words.

 ** _It's about how you influence those around you, not yourself._**

Ty Lum looked down at the ground and frowned. She'd been nothing but a silent presence throughout her whole journey. Is there salvation for the silenced? Will there ever be a time she can fully rest? She fell short on the answers.

"Thank you, King Bumi. I really needed this. I apologize for taking up your time," Ty Lum uttered.

Bumi laughed joyously again. "Do not worry about me. As I said earlier, If I have an unhappy guest in my vicinity, what kind of king am I? Now run along. It's way past curfew," King Bumi ushered as he nudged her out the garden.

Ty Lum merely nodded her head before she ran off. Her grip tightened on the daffodil.

 **Time Skip**

She ran and opened her room door to reveal a teary-eyed Suguru. She was in lost of words of what to say to the girl to comfort her. She decided to clear her throat to get the girl's attention from outside the window. She turned around and glared at Ty Lum but it faltered as she ran and hugged Ty Lum for dear life.

"I-I was so worried. Had-doka, I'm sorry," she said through her cries. The whole situation puzzled her. Ty Lum was clearly in the wrong for her actions but here Suguru was, hugging her.

"N-no. Don't apologize to me. You did nothing wrong Suguru. I am giving this to you as a way to say sorry," Ty Lum admitted, thoroughly embarrassed. She stiffly stuck out her arm and held out the flower with a small blush marring her face.

Suguru smiled brightly as she took it. She planted a soft kiss on Ty Lum's cheek which made her heart momentarily stop. Her body stiffed but she relaxed as she deemed the act nonromantic. She needed it to not mean that way and she prayed that it wasn't.

Suguru immediately pulled the petals off and put half of them on the table and carried the other half to the window. Ty Lum looked at her skeptically as she stood by the door frame. Suguru scoffed at the girl's attitude and clarified.

"This of this as our new start to our friendship," Suguru told her as she released the petals to the wind. Ty Lum walked over to Suguru and initiated a hug.

They stood there in silence and watched the night sky as they both had reached new revelations.

 **AN: I know I made Bumi a bit OOC but I don't think he's constantly childish and I really needed a wise figurehead that was canon and wasn't already introduced so there is Bumi. He also plays a major part in this beginning arc.**


	4. A Smart Princess Is a Useful Princess

Ty Lum ran alongside Xia as Jin scolded them both. Li slipped and crashed into the tree causing all of them to laugh. Suguru smacked Ty Lum for laughing at Li but she, herself, giggled. Li glared at all of them but joined in on the laughter. Jiao decided to speak up when she closed her book.

She stood up and approached Ty Lum and Suguru with the utmost elegance. She smiled at them like a proud parent and ruffled their hair.

"Consider today an initiation into the Daughters of Pandora. We welcome you both with open arms," Jiao's voice carried out. The DoP lined up and bowed, welcoming them. Ty Lum and Suguru bowed back.

"After our midterms, there would only be twelve of us left. It's been quite a year don't you think?" commented Xia. Meilin punched her in the arm and Xia laughs. Melin wrapped her arm around the girl's waist before she kissed her on the cheek.

The teenager blushed and the other ones laughed which granted them a glare. Ty Lum gave a small snort which made Suguru giggle.

"Well. Isn't that cute?" Zhilan teased. Xia's look only got darker and made the rest of them laugh harder. Guang fell off the bench from laughing which made Jiao snort. Ty Lum felt a tinge out of place and Jin noticed.

Jin wrapped her arms around the now fourteen-year-old waist and rested her head on her shoulder. "We can't have our foreigner left out, now can we? Don't worry Doka, it's all in fun. Relax," Jin comforted and Ty Lum listened.

They both missed Suguru's heated glare at Jin. Xia caught it and smirked in amusement. She sashayed over to the pair and pulled Jin off of Ty Lum. There was a hint of amusement on Jin's face also and they both laughed. The rest joined shortly after until a whistle stopped them all.

They turned and saw Joo Dee as she walked toward them. They all lined up and bowed including Ty Lum because Suguru pulled her down. Her heels stopped clicking and they all stood up straight. They didn't utter a sound as her gaze scanned them one by one.

"Midterms is tomorrow and I suggest you all study. You should all be in the library, not out here," Joo Dee reprimanded. Jin chuckled and placed her hand on Joo Dee's shoulder. The woman tensed up and frowned and she swatted Jin's hand.

"Relax DeeDee. We all got this as we are the 'Daughters of Pandora'," Jin said as she slammed her hand back onto the woman's shoulder. Joo Dee sneered and swatted Jin's hand off again.

Everyone held back their chuckles and kept a straight face until she stormed off. Everyone busted out laughing. Xia punched Jin in the arm whilst laughing.

"Leave t-that woman alone," she said before she wheezed. Jiao slammed her book closed to get everyone's attention.

"That was funny and all but we should head to the library. I know that I'll be the best but some of you could do better. If you hadn't noticed by now...I meant Zhilan and Guang. You guys weren't in the top ten last time," Jiao called them out.

The two looked uncomfortable until Li broke the silence. "It is true that you guys weren't in the top ten but you can redeem yourself in this round. I believe in you guys," Li encouraged the two.

"Besides. Zhilan is like the most princessy out of all of us. She'll kick ass no sweat!" Meilin shouted and she gave Zhilan a tight hug. Guang huffed but still smiled. Jiao gave her a reassuring pat on the back.

Ty Lum cleared her throat and grabbed everyone's attention. "Jiao is right. I mean, we already know we are going to pass but let's spare the others the embarrassment," an amused smirk crossed her face and the other joined in, "We can't be right and arrogant, they'll have our heads."

There was a simultaneous low chuckle the group shared.

"We should make it look as if we tried. I mean, we should spare their egos," Jin spoke up.

"Maybe we should deflate our own. How do we know that we're the best? The girls have been working hard," Suguru commented. It got everyone thinking and everyone stopped.

Jiao burst out laughing, which surprised everyone. She patted Suguru on the top of her head and briefly scoffed.

"We aren't a group of idiots, Suguru. We are all aware that they have been studying but think about this, many of these girls have not left Omashu in their entire life. The one thing we are mainly being tested on is our knowledge of the nations. It ranges from customs, cities, and architecture to political spectrums, wars, and treaties. Most of us have left the city and seen and read about the different cultures across the Earth Kingdom. If we ace that part, we all basically pass. Anything else besides that will be a bonus to our benefit." Jiao had a smug smirk that only a few of them caught. Xia looked at Zhilan from the corner of her eye, with a look of cruel amusement.

Zhilan looked down to the ground in shame. Ty Lum noticed her clenched fist and teeth and looked away when Zhilan went to meet her gaze. Li placed a reassuring hand on Zhilan's shoulder and gave her a light smile.

After various grumbles and complaints, the majority of the girls went inside. Except for Zhilan and Li. Ty Lum stood by the wall so she wouldn't be seen and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Zhilan, don't let what Jiao say get to you. You got this," Li soothed.

"I h-hate her so much. So what if I never left Omashu? I'm still smart!"Zhilan cried out.

Ty Lum chuckled and rolled her eyes.

 _She missed the whole point Jiao made. It was the others have to learn their nation's history before branching out. All of us already know all there is to know about the Earth Kingdom besides the Dai Li, of course._

"Zhilan, do you know about the Earth Kingdom's history in a whole?" Li asked.

Zhilan gripped the hemp of her skirt and a tear came out of her eye. She shook her head in shame. "I was only ever taught etiquette and the history of it. How to pour tea, how to host, how to sing, and how to dance. Nothing more than the knowledge of a royal concubine," Zhinlan admitted. She cried and Li whispered assurances.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of. You are a very smart girl who is a professional in the social field. You will get through this, Zhilan."

Zhilan looked up at Li with hope in her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Very. I will be there every step on the way," Li reassures.

"Thank you," Zhilan whispered.

Ty Lum deviously smiled and backed away into the shadows so she wouldn't be seen as the two girls caught up with the rest. She wasn't the only one either as Xia came out from the opposite side and let out a sigh.

"I thought I was going to get caught. This is rather an interesting discovery. Don't you think so, Hadoka?" Xia called out and looked in her direction.

The amused look on Ty Lum's face doesn't disappear but, instead, gets bigger. She walked out and met Xia similar gaze.

"What a terrible thing to say, Xia. Our dear Zhilan feels very insecure about her intelligence. We both know that she knows nothing, so now, what do we do?" Ty Lum scolded while she resisted her urge to laugh.

Xia shot her a look and she laughed and Ty Lum smacked her on the arm while she giggled.

"Let see how our little princess plans on passing," Xia said before dragging Ty Lum to catch up with the others.

Someone let out a sigh of relief and stood. Shu shook her head and walk toward the door to only stop.

"Good thing Xia only heard the end part. It would have ended badly if Jiao heard about what was said. Hadoka is a different issue though. What to do, what to do?" Shu panicked as she ran inside. She missed the fact that Ty Lum was standing behind the door and Xia popped out from behind the column.

"Well, Hadoka, it seems you were right; however, you failed to tell me what she said about Jiao."

Ty Lum smirked and leaned against the wall. "I was kind enough to let you know of our other eavesdropper so, I don't believe I owe you anything to tell you about someone else's problems. Want to find out? Figure it out if you are as smart as you claim-" Ty Lum said before she walked away.

Xia grabbed her by the wrist and looked around for others. She then tugged Ty Lum toward her and moved out the way to where Ty Lum's back hit the wall. She slammed her wrist above her head and leaned in dangerously close.

"Doka, why such a cold response? I expect this much out of Jin, but not you." A cruel smile works its way to Xia's lips.

"I can say the same to you. You have gotten crueler than ever," Ty Lum replied, clearly unfazed.

"I guess I can say the tide is changing. Don't be fooled by us letting you join, we aren't a group of great friends. We're not even allies. I am well aware of the fact that Zhilan hates Jiao. Even Jiao knows it herself. Li hates me, Shu hates Li, Melin hates Shu, Guang hates Melin. Need I keep going? We are only pretending to be friends for the sake to ease ourselves for the competition because, in the pursuit of the crown, there are no such things as friends." Xia's eyes bored into Ty Lum's cold ones.

"So to hide your true feelings, you all bury yourself in lust and ostrich horseplay. Just like true royals. Ignoring reality in pursuit of one's ideas despite those you may hurt in the process. You are all fit to become a princess by all means," Ty Lum harshly bites.

Xia's hand crept up and she cupped Ty Lum's cheek and leaned in close. "You act like you're any different. Here you are, a foreigner, daring to become a princess of a land that isn't your own..." she trailed off and leaned to whisper in her ear.

"Traitor," Xia lightly whispered. Ty Lum's eyes widened in surprise. Xia pulled back and her cruel smile grew wider.

She plastered an innocent look on her face an tilted her head. "What now, Doka? Cat Owl got your tongue? Now, now, I'm not assuming anything but it does sound a bit strange. Then again, you are from the earth kingdom, right? How your family must feel? Proud or betrayed?" Xia continued until Ty Lum pushed her.

"Don't talk about my family. I didn't come here because I wanted to be a princess, it just happened and I decided to stay. Listening to you sick, twisted bitch makes me want to steal your ambition from you. Even if I don't want to, I'll become the princess so none of you will!"

Xia laughed at the infuriated teen. "You, truly, are no better than any of us..." she said between laughs. "Pathetic like the rest of us!" she hissed. She shot forwards and gripped Ty Lum's face by the jaw and squeezed.

"We have a test tomorrow and here we are. In the corridor, past curfew, arguing. We didn't study but we laughed. We didn't stress over anything but laughed, right? Look at where we are now, midterms. So how about this? I forget you said anything and I go to sleep?" Xia offered with her mood completely different. Ty Lum frowned at Xia's new mask.

Ty Lum looked at her confused and Xia gave up and turned away. Ty Lum grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around. Xia looked ready to lash out at her until Ty Lum pulled her into a harsh, wet, and forced kiss. Xia cried out in shock and shoved Lum to the wall.

"What the absolute fuck is wrong with you?" she darkly hissed. Xia wiped her lips off furiously with the sleeve of her uniform.

"It's not lady-like to swear, Xia," Ty Lum snidely retorted.

Xia growled and pinned Ty Lum to the wall and Ty Lum stood there with a face of amusement. Xia glare got even more dangerous.

"You really think you are so scary, huh? What are you gonna do? Kill me?" Ty Lum mocked. She knew she was in every way wrong to do that and Xia knew that she knew which made her even angrier. Ty Lum buried a remnant of her guilt under a harsh gaze.

Xia was too angry to say anything but Ty Lum kept speaking as she stepped closer. "Why are you mad, Xia? Is it because I kissed you or the fact that you actually liked it, you fucking dyke?" she baited. Ty Lum seemed surprised by her own words but Xia's wrath captured her attention.

"I will end you-you wench!" Xia snapped and she lashed out at Ty Lum. A whistle broke Xia's concentration and she missed how Ty Lum dodged. They both turned and was greeted by a scowling Joo Dee.

"Off to bed, you two! This is your first warning!" She yelled and pointed in the direction of the dorms.

They both walked off to the dorms while bumping each other. When they turned the corner, Xia pulled Ty Lum to her in a death grip. "Two can play it that way, traitor."

She let her go and went into her dorm room. Ty Lum caught her breath and scoffed.

"Like I'm going to let an inferior peasant get their way. I should lay low after this though," she whispered to herself.

She snuck into her dorm room but saw a peeved Suguru and cursed. Suguru raised an eyebrow and unfolded her legs. She walked up to Ty Lum and crossed her arms.

"And tell me exactly why you were out past curfew. Tomorrow is a day to where two out of our group is going to be eliminated. I swear to god if you fail because you fell asleep Ha-" Suguru ranted before Ty Lum hugged her.

Ty Lum laid her head in the crook of Suguru's neck and sighed. "I'm sorry. I'll consider that next time, Suguru. Forgive me," Ty Lum apologized.

The notion caught Suguru off guard and she went red. She patted Ty Lum's back and then held her tightly to her. Ty Lum mind went back to Xia and she sighed again. She shook off the feeling and let go of Suguru and went to bed.

They all sat in their respective seats and looked at their instructor. Joo Dee looked every student in the eye.

"Like every test, this test has two parts. One part is the written test on every significant thing every citizen of the Earth Kingdom should know about our nation and other nations, respectively."

Ty Lum saw Zhilan clench her fist and looked away. Joo Dee smacked the other part of the board.

"The second part is diplomacy. As a princess, many would expect you to not know a thing about any other political spectrum besides the king's views. Many of them have no political knowledge at all. Your task is to strengthen a relationship by any means that is beneficial to Omashu. It does not matter how whether through trade, military power, or transportation. Get a deal for Omashu that will stand. The three deals that go through will be at an advantage if they are eliminated as they can hold a position of diplomat within the palace."

The palace servants placed the test on their desks and everyone picked up their brushes.

Joo Dee cleared her throat and yelled, "Your test begins...NOW!"

They proceed to flip the test over and begin.

Ty Lum stretched as she sat outside the classroom among her other classmates. The door opened to reveal a stone-faced Joo Dee. She didn't look happy one bit, well she never did but that time she looked extremely pissed.

"We have decided to cancel the diplomacy part as you all do not have the maturity nor the respect from our neighbors to be in the position to make a deal. It would be an uphill battle that you all with lose," Joo Dee harshly criticized.

All of the girls remained still while Zhilan's face morphed into one of surprise and horror.

"You are not worthy of seeing the king for your actions you have committed today! I will say these names and you all leave immediately," Joo Dee yelled.

She pulled out her clipboard and called out the names in a flash, "Yang, Yijun, Xuegang, Guiying, and Da."

The girls broke into tears as they are automatically escorted out, more like shoved out. Ty Lum looked around in confusion at how harsh the staff was being. Joo Dee stood in front of the DoP and frowned.

"It does look like majority managed to make it but unfortunately two of you have been up to something naughty," Joo Dee implied.

Ty Lum went still and avoided eye contact with the older woman. Xia stiffened and glared at Ty Lum. Ty Lum looked to the floor and prayed as Suguru's confused gazed burned into her back.

"Li and Zhilan...Is there anything you'd like to confess?" She stared at the two. The rest of us looked at them in shock. Ty Lum nearly sighed in relief.

"What are you talking about Ms. Joo Dee? I was normally taking the test like everyone else," Zhilan spoke first with confusion written over her face.

"Well, I hate to break it to you but you and Li's answers are the exact same. You both scored high enough to stay but cheating voids your test, which makes the cheater eliminated. Unfortunately, one who didn't score high enough despite with good effort was Guang. Please leave the premise while I get to the bottom of this situation," Joo Dee said with a light voice.

Guang stood up and faced the other girls. "It was nice being with you all and I will never forget any of you." She kept her face blank and looked at us with happy eyes. Jin popped up and hugged her and a faint sniffle was heard.

Guang pulled away and wiped her tear away. She stared at them and they all offered her sad smiles. She understood and walked out of the doorway to the exit. Joo Dee cleared her throat and brought their attention back to her.

"I would have waited to announce the issue about Guang and you all would have had a proper goodbye if one of the two did not cheat on their test."

The group glared at Zhilan and Li. Li had sweat rolling down her face while Zhilan was perfectly calm. Ty Lum saw the ghost of a smile on her face and frowned.

"If I may intrude, Ms. Joo Dee," Jiao spoke up," Maybe we should ask those two which one cheated. I mean, it would be unfair to the one who is innocent."

Zhilan scoffed and gotten all of the attention. She chuckled and unfolded her hands. "I'm sorry-I'm just appalled and disappointed in you, Li."

That shocked Ty Lum and Li. Li went to the defensive and jumped up. "What do you mean by disappointed? You were the one who cheated!" Li yelled.

Zhilan shook her head and frowned. "That doesn't make any sense, Li. How can I cheat off of you if I sat in front of you?"

Something snapped in Li and she went to attack Zhilan. She was automatically restrained as she thrashed and yelled. The others stilled in shock.

"You bitch! Is that why- - mmmph!" Li mouth was covered by the guard. She was met with disappointed looks by the other members. Zhilan walked up to the crazed Li and smiled.

"Thank you for being there with me all this time. I will never forget our friendship but sadly, you must pay for your actions," Zhilan said.

Joo Dee nodded toward the guard and the guard proceeded to drag Li out. She reached out with tears streaming down her face. Everyone turned their back on her except Ty Lum. Ty Lum kept staring until the doors slammed shut.

She stared at Zhilan's back in disbelief. Li's sob echoed throughout the hallways for the last time. She clenched her fist and gritted her teeth.

 _It really isn't that different over here, after all._

 ** _A/N: I really like this chapter as it starts showing the true nature of the girls. Have a nice day, guys!_**

 **ALSO! I DO NOT CONDONE SEXUAL ASSAULT NOR ANY DEROGATORY TERMS TOWARDS THE LGBT COMMUNITY! THE TERMS USED IN THE STORY DO NOT REFLECT MY VIEWS!**

To be completely honest, this can strike a conversation about self-hate but don't worry about that now. Ty Lum doesn't know about herself yet so yeye!


	5. Daughters of Pandora

A/N: Sorry for the late update. I had serious writer's block despite knowing exactly how I wanted the plot to develop

Ty Lum sat on the top of her desk with one leg hanging off of it. The other girls were sitting in silence as they stared each other down.

"It's been a long time since the intelligence test. We are now entering the final era of who comes out on top," Suguru said. Suguru leaned against her propped up arm with a blank look on her face.

"Hm. We all grown from since we've stepped foot in here. It's been two years we have been cooped up in this damn castle," Jin commented. She was leaning against the wall with her legs lightly crossed.

Xia lightly scoffed which earned her a glare from Jin. She shooed her off with a smile and smacked her lips. "Bullshit, the only thing we did was develop terrible attitudes. We're on the verge of completely hating each other."

No one disagreed with the statement as it was true. Tensions were growing high between the girls which sparked many hostile moments between them. Melin sighed and hopped down from the shelf and dusted off her uniform.

"Of course. We are pretty much on the verge of branching off from each other. We are each other's competition but that doesn't mean we won't still be the DoP," Melin chimed in.

Jiao stepped off of the instructor's desk and sat closer to the others. She pushed up her glasses and ran her fingers through her messy hair. She sighed and looked at the others. "We have been training separately for almost a year. You honestly expect us to still be as close as we used to?" Jiao questioned.

"If there's a will, there is a way," Zhilan interrupted. The nonexistent atmosphere took a plunge. Shu rubbed her temples and she groaned.

They all remained silent and Ty Lum looked around. Her bangs slid over one of her eyes and she noticed how long her hair was at the moment. She blew the bangs out of her face and hopped off her desk.

"It's getting late, I'm heading somewhere," she announced when she left. She walked into a complete jade room and sat down on top of the expensive desk there. She picked up some incense and lit it with fire from a nearby lamp.

She grew to love the color green over the years and appreciated the abundance of green gems. A bead of a jade necklace found it's way between her lips and the emerald-encrusted mirror reflected the color of her eyes.

She silently thanked her genes as amber eyes would have given her away to the enemy.

 _The enemy?_

The thought made her pause and the bead fell from her lips. Her hand clenched into a fist and hit the desk. She ran her hand in her hair harshly and sighed. She was well aware of the fact that she had not talked to a Fire Nation officer for the past few years.

 _I am doing this for political advantage for my country. Right? So it's not wrong for me to enjoy myself on the way._

Guilt started swarming in her head until she heard footsteps. She looked up and saw Zhilan at the door of the room. Her guilt died and she frowned at the girl.

"What do you want Zhilan?" Ty Lum asked gently, her eyes not betraying her tone. Zhilan took the invite and came into the room.

Without warning, Zhilan attacked. She swung to nail Ty Lum in the face but Ty Lum redirected the fist. Zhilan grabbed Ty Lum's wrist and pulled her off the desk and kicked Ty Lum. Ty Lum blocked and countered the kick with her own, making their ankles meet. Zhilan redirected her foot and forced Ty Lum's down.

Ty Lum picked up a sharp paperweight and held it to Zhilan's throat. She stilled and managed to smirk at Ty Lum.

"I just wanted to see how our cute foreigner advanced," Zhilan teased and pushed the paperweight away from her neck.

Ty Lum scoffed. "Oh and why? So you can see how useful I am before you use me like Li? Or because you wanted to find out how fast I can kill you?" Ty Lum dangerously teased.

Zhilan frowned and hissed, "Bitch."

"Ah, yes. A bitch for realizing how much a pathetic wench you are. I take pride in it. I won't tell anyone, by the way. It would be a waste of time as everyone hates you anyways." Ty Lum snidely retorted.

"You! Have no right to talking to me like-" Zhilan aggressively reprimanded.

"I have every right. Get out of my face, Zhilan," Ty Lum sharply cut in.

Zhilan took a step forward and the paperweight was at her neck again. She sharply huffed and left the room swiftly.

Ty Lum sat back down and she looked at the room and groaned.

Shu came out of her hiding spot and gasped for air. She slapped her hand on her chest and sighed.

"Oh thank goodness. I thought I was going to die."

She walked with haste to the dorms, mumbling under her breath.

"I can't believe that happened. I wonder what would happen if the others find out," Shu whispered.

A hand on her shoulder stopped her from walking and turned her around. The hand belonged to no other than Jin. She was wearing the biggest smirk in history and chuckled.

"Others find out what?" Jin darkly asked and caused Shu to gulp.

Ty Lum walked into her room to find Xia and Suguru talking. She wasn't surprised but rather annoyed at the girl who invited herself into thir dorm.

"What took you so long?" Suguru asked. Her eyes hovered over Ty Lum's disheveled looked.

"Nothing important. I'll be in the bath-" Ty Lum continued.

Xia stood up and blocked Ty Lum path. She smirked at Ty Lum's annoyed scowl and lightly shoved Ty Lum.

"Now. Now. Calm down, Hadoka. You were the first one in, first one out, last one here, and first one asleep. At least talk to us for a bit," Xia teased.

Ty Lum rolled her eyes and shoved Xia out of her way then Suguru stepped into Ty Lum's path. Suguru eyes were hard and motherly. She crossed her arms and stood her ground against Ty Lum.

"I don't know what's wrong but that's no excuse for you to be a complete dick to everyone. We haven't had a conversation over five minutes for the past year. Doka, talk to me," Suguru said.

Ty Lum hung her head and rubbed her temples. She looked up, her eyes apologetic. She put her hands on Suguru's shoulder and lightly smiled.

"I can't really explain it but I apologize for my behavior. I'll be in the tub," Ty Lum apologized.

Suguru was about to refuse when Ty Lum lightly kissed Suguru neck and walked passed her. Suguru made a choked sound of complete surprise and Xia froze. The two of them looked at each other and Suguru coughed.

"What was that?" Xia asked.

"Her way of apologizing... _she's been getting bolder every time_ ," Suguru murmured. Her cheeks turn red and Xia chuckled.

Suguru walked up behind Ty Lum and hugged her. The girl relaxed after she realized it was Suguru. Ty Lum wiped the sweat off her forehead and patted the girl's hands.

Jin walked up to the two and smiled. "Heya, Doka. Want to sparrrrr..." Jin said as she noticed Suguru's hands around the teen's waist. Jin glared for a second and replaced it with a smile. She grabbed Suguru's hands and pulled her off of Ty Lum.

"Now, Susu. You know better than to latch onto others like that!" Jin scolded her younger sister.

Suguru glared at the older sibling and faced Ty Lum. Suguru crossed her arms and childishly stomped her foot. Ty Lum sighed and wrapped her arm around Suguru's shoulders.

"It's alright Jin. Relax," she told the older sibling and gave the younger one a squeeze.

Jin's eyes narrow and she also sighs. She wipes her forehead with the back of her hand and ran her hands through her long hair. "I guess it just the heat," she sarcastically responds.

Ty Lum's retort falls short when a familiar figure appears on the horizon. Behind the figure are five other figures and they were all familiar too.

"There you three are. We have been looking all over for you," Joo Dee told them.

They noticed how the other five girls had giant smiles on their face. Joo Dee was in entirely new robes as they were more extravagant before. Joo Dee sported a small smile herself.

"I can admit that I have been hard on you all from the beginning. Since this quarter has begun, I saw you all grow and mature so I can genuinely say that I am proud of all of you," Joo Dee said.

There were several 'awws' and Joo Dee rolled her eyes but continued on. "You will all report in the main foyer in ten minutes. I will not be there as I have business to attend to. In the end, all I have to say is... you girls deserve everything that is coming your way."

Joo Dee smiled with a newfound softness and decided to leave. The girls looked at each other in shock and a wave of silence befell them.

"That old hag actually smiled," Jin said in disbelief. Suguru smacked her on the arm and Jin winced.

"She is kind in her own way, Jin. Be more respectful," she scolded.

Jiao chimed in," She surprised us when we were in our dorms. We walked in and saw some luxurious clothing. We came to the conclusion that the clothes were ours but we didn't put them on."

"So that's why you guys looked like complete sociopaths walking up here," Ty Lum whispered to herself. Suguru overheard and laughed. Jin glared at her and turned her attention back on Xia.

Melin slid towards Ty Lum and rested her head on her should. "Sooo, what's so funny?" she teases.

Ty Lum lightly nudged Melin's head off her shoulder and chuckles. "I don't remember us being this close," she teases back. Meilin pulls her into a semi-chokehold and ruffles her hair.

"Of course we are close, you runt. All this time you've been my sparring partner, I'd think so." Melin laughed at Ty Lum's discomfort and crushed her neck more.

Zhilan scoffed and crossed her arms. "Shouldn't we go to the main foyer already? It's been several minutes already."

Xia gave her a withering glance before she beamed up. She clapped her hands together to gather everyone's attention and smiled. "Let's go see what they want with us in the main foyer."

Jin went ahead so Xia wouldn't have to wait for everyone to agree. The others followed Jin in silence.

The eight girls arrive into the main foyer and a wave of nostalgia washed over them. Shu's sigh broke the other's daze and she looked at them with tears in the corner of her eyes.

"It all started here. This is where it all began. The journey to greatness," she whispered.

The others nodded in agreement and did not dare to say another word. A group of aged men walked onto a platform and simultaneously cough. They all turned to face the group of men and their face lit up with recognition.

"That's the guy he recommended me," Xia whispered to no one in particular. Ty Lum recognized her own recruiter, Shin. The group of men stood still as one stood forward. He was dressed in empirical garments and held his chin high.

"We extend a warm welcome to the remaining candidates for the position as princess of Omashu. Tonight we present you to the people," Shin announced.

"No matter how good of a princess you are...you are of no use if the people do not accept you as their princess," another recruiter chimed in.

Jiao raised her hand and asked, "So this is a public reputation situation? What if they favor another candidate over the true winner?"

"No such situation will happen but I did expect you to have such worries as we did not elaborate on the final exams. Today event is different from the others. With much consideration and persistent pestering, this event will involve the king himself," a random counil member explained.

The girls stood in awe at the news. They weren't exactly allowed to see the king on a regular basis or at all.

Melin's hand shot up next and she asked," What exactly are we doing today then?"

Shin genuinely smiled. "You, my dears, are participating in the Daughter of Pandora parade. Each of you will get your own specialized platforms that display who you are. This event will act as a gateway for the public to familiarize themselves with the future princess."

"The event will commence within three hours. Your floats are in the midst of their finishing touches and the housemaids will assist you in getting ready. Please meet up with your designated maids," Shin told them.

A giant group of maids enters the foyer and broke up into groups. Each group was dressed in different shades of green with a sign of each of the girls' names on them. Ty Lum was with the group of women wearing jade colored garments.

They whisked her away into her designated chamber. She felt multiple tugging at her clothes and hair. Water splashed in her face to blind her and makeup slathered to cover her glare. She didn't even have the chance to look at the tub before they threw her out of the room. She looked down and noticed the dress she was wearing.

It was the epitome of beauty. The two-piece didn't leave much to the imagination due to the high slits in the bottoms and the cut of the top. The garment was a green color that looked blue far away.

She was escorted to her float by Shin without a word spoken between them. She looked around and hoped to see the other girls but she saw no one. They were all separated and isolated from one another. Ty Lum's float was rather plain but the centerpiece made up for the bleakness. The chair had geminite growing out of it and was encrusted with diamonds and lined with jade and gold. She sat down on the throne and shivered.

A weird pang rushed from her fingertips to the tips of her toes.

 _Is this what the slightest bit of power feel like?_

She plastered a small smile on her face and felts weird energy coil in her gut. She steeled her face and focused. The floats began and Ty Lum did not feel nervous.

Ahead of her, she heard the announcer introduce them. "Welcome, citizens of Omashu! My name is Wu and I am the MC for tonight! Feast your eyes on our potential princesses, the Daughters of Pandora!"

The crowd roared in excitement and crowded together to see the new potential princess. Jin's float was up first. She struck a pose and the crowd cheered.

"First up is Jin! She is eighteen years old and the elder sister of another contestant! Daughter of our most refined merchants! She placed in the top three in all of the exams and is a shoo-in to become a leader! Give it up for Jin!" he yelled. The crowd gave her one last roar before moving on.

Ty Lum smiled nervously and awaited her turn. She couldn't care less what the announcer had to say. All that mattered to her was the crowd's opinion. They would make or break her career for becoming a princess. The announcer called her name and she stood proudly. She waved at the crowd as if they were the closest thing to family. Her eyes scanned the crowd and she spotted Shin. He waved extra hard to her and she smiled in return.

She felt a strange wave of warmth in her heart. She continued to softly smile at everyone in the crowd.

The parade ended and Ty Lum got off her float and joined the rest of the Daughters of Pandora. The whole group decided to attend the festival afterward to wind down.

"Ah, this is the life, ain't it? We're all practically royalty already," Jin said. Xia gave Jin a quick wack and reprimanded her.

"Don't try to get your hopes up. It'll be lucky enough if all of us even remain in the palace after this," Jiao chimed in.

Jin paused then beamed at Jiao. "Man, you gotta lighten up! Of course, we'll all be in super high positions. We're the Daughters of Pandora! Where is your self-confidence?"

Jin received another wack. Jiao sighed and ignored Jin. Jiao stood up straighter and adjusted her glasses. "Mission report! Tonight we divide and conquer. Pair off or split up and enjoy ourselves as individuals. Tonight we aren't the Daughters of Pandora, but we are our own individual."

Shu chimed in enthusiastically, "Together or separate we are still part of the DoP. It is more than an alliance, it is a sisterhood, a blood bond, the ultimate sign of trust and camaraderie."

The others agreed and immediately paired off by roommates: Jin with Xia, Ty Lum with Suguru, Jiao with Shu, Zhilan with Melin.

Ty Lum and Suguru walked to a booth and greeted the man. The elderly man working at the booth smiled at them kindly and offered them nets to play the game. Ty Lum stared at Suguru's focused expression. Suguru tried as hard as she could but ultimately failed.

"This game is so broken," Suguru pouted. Ty Lum lightly smiled and gave Suguru a reassuring pat on the back.

"It will be fine. There are a bunch of games here to win. Plus, this one is the hardest one to win," she reassured. Suguru beamed at Ty Lum in return and grabbed her hand.

Ty Lum couldn't utter a single word as Suguru dragged her around from booth to booth. Ty Lum just simply smiled thougout the whole ordeal.

"Hadoka, we're supposed to meet the others for the fireworks, remeber?" Suguru asked.

Ty Lum merely grunted in response, "We've looked for hours, I don't think we're gonna find them."

Ty Lum sat down own the ledge and motioned for Suguru to follow. Suguru begrudgingly sat down with Ty Lum. Suguru leaned her head on Ty Lum's shoulders and gently grasps Ty Lum's hand.

Ty Lum met Suguru's half-closed eyes. They sat there and stared into each other's eyes. Ty Lum's heart thumps in her ears and she swallows nervously.

The sound of fireworks snapped them out of their stupor. They peacefully watched the rest of the fire show in silence.

"This reminds me so much of home," Ty Lum confessed.

"You never really talked about home. What's it like?" Suguru softly asks.

"To be completely honest, I have no positive memories of home. I just have people there I care dearly for. Their presence brought me eternal peace, but, sadly, peace cannot be sustained so easily," Ty Lum bitterly elaborated. Her eyes held sadness and hatred but she cannot resent the place that she once had called home.

"Is a place like that really home? Is it really home because you're from there or because you feel loved and wanted there?" Suguru questioned.

Ty Lum looked at her, shocked. Ty Lum looked dumbfounded at Suguru and words failed to leave her lips. Suguru placed a delicate hand on Ty Lum's cheek. A stray tear fell down Ty Lum's cheek. Suguru slowly closed the space between her and Ty Lum's lips.

Ty Lum instinctively closed her eyes when their lips met. Ty Lum noticed how soft Suguru's lips were. She lost all sense of reason and gave in into her desires, and kissed Suguru back. A final firework cracked into the sky.

 _Dear Fire Lord Ozai,_

 _My lord, you must forgive me for I have forsaken you. I have abandoned my post for what I excused to be for the benefit of the Fire Nation. I've lied to myself for these past years in hopes to gain the validation I sought from my peers. I worked harder and longer than any other of your subordinates my age, and I have nothing to show for it. I apologize for my incompetence and seemingly betrayal. I, Ty Lum, will accept all charges against me for my action; however, I will not renounce any of my statements and beliefs._

 _For all that I have done, I cannot deny the place that I have fallen in love with my desires to watch it grow and flourish into something more._

 _I will rule Omashu under my own counsel and principles and will not allow the Fire Nation to taint it with anarchy._

 _From,_

 _Queen of Omashu, Hadoka (Ty Lum)_


End file.
